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BIRD GUARDIANS 

A Masque 

for Bird Protection 

by 

Leigh Mitchell Hodges 






COPYRIGHT 1915 

by 

LEIGH MITCHELL HODGES 

All rights reserved, including 
those of translation 



$ 







e 



APR -8 1916 ° a0 48559 



"BIRD GUARDIANS" was 
written for the Doylestown 
Nature Club and by it first pro- 
duced August 21, 1915. Its pur- 
pose is to awaken interest in the 
vital matter of bird-protection, 
and its presentation by schools 
or clubs may be arranged by 
addressing the author, without 
whose written consent no pro- 
duction hereof is permitted. 

Doylestown, Penna., 
March, 1916. 






THE CAST 

Speaking Farts — 

Master of the Scenes 
Bluebird 
Robin 

Wood Thrush 
Song Sparrow- 
Kingbird 

Red-winged Blackbird 
Catbird 
Owl 

Chorus — 

Cuckoo 

Meadowlark 

Scarlet Tanager 

Rose-breastd Grosbeak 

Baltimore Oriole 

Mocking Bird 

Barn Swallow 

Purple Martin 

Bluejay 

Dove 

"Bob White" 

Red-headed Woodpecker 

Black-and-white Warbler 

Gold-finch 

Chickadee 

Hummingbird 



-\ OTE: The masque should be staged in the open under trees 
and for accompanying the chorus there should be a harp and violin or 
any combination of strings desired, though the singing may be unac- 
companied. The Master of the Scenes enters alone. 



PROLOGUE — to be spoken by the Master of Scenes garbed in gray and 
bearing a living staff, green-leaved. 

HERE, where the trees like silent sentinels 

Stand guard o'er Nature's varied benefits — 

Each clothed in beauty and endowed to use — 

Here, on a carpet many times more rare 

Than rarest fruit of Persia's patient looms, 

And underneath the ceiling of all light, 

With nought between us and the Source of Power 

Except the veil of thoughts we interpose — 

Or draw aside when contemplating Nature — 

We come to bring a message from the birds 

Those little friends who bear to us a blessing 

Which this brief hour shall seek to make more clear. 

CHORUS {All the birds joining the Master in a group and singing, 
to the tune of Rubinstein s "Melody in F") 

Welcome, O wingless, who wait to be told 
How we have guarded thy homes from of old; 
How we have sought in field, garden and tree 
Ever to make thee more free. 
Here we will show thee the love that we carry, 
Here we will tell of the service we give 
Here we will tell how we help you to live 
Here voice our interest in thee. 
Welcome, O wingless, and when we have told 
How we have guarded thy homes from of old, 
Go forth to guard us from those who are blind 
Lead them to hearts that are kind. 

BLUEBIRD (stepping forward as the other birds disappear among 
the trees and addressing the audience.} 

With flash of bright blue wing 

I come to say "'Tis Spring!" 

In orchard-tree or friendly nook 

My eggs like scraps of noon-sky look 

And all day long 

My warbling song 

Is like a silver-purling brook 

That splashes crystal stones. 

The while I sing I rid the farm 

Of bugs and worms that do much harm, 

Indeed, if I and Robin dear 



Should fail to come, your crops, I fear 
By hoppers green and beetles strong 
Would be devoured ere many a year. 

{Turning to ROBIN, who meantime has crept up to BLUEBIRD'S 

side;) 
I did not know you were so near! 

ROBIN {smiles and makes a neat salute.) 

Sweet sister, draped in heaven's own blue, 

Within my red breast beats for you 

A heart that has no fear of man 

So trustful am I of the plan 

Which set us feathered creatures down 

In field and countryside and town. 

And yet but yesterday my joy 

Was darkened by a thoughtless boy 

Who aimed a stone at my good mate 

And bruised him as he, singing, sate 

Upon a bough. I wondered then 

How he would feel if giant men 

Should wait to strike down one he loved! 

If only human hearts were moved 

To be more kind ! 

If only we 
Might find safe haven in each tree! 
I think men owe it us — but hush! — 
I hear the flute-tones of Wood Thrush! 
[Both turn to the right, whence sounds a flute note and WOOD 

THRUSH comes sl<>wly toward them, looking around as if 

frightened. ) 

WOOD THRUSH: 

As I came through the wooded swamp 

A gruff old voice I heard. 

I think it was a cruel man 

Aswearing at a bird. 

I did not wait, for all alone 

Of small help could I be, 

But now I find you waiting here, 

Come, be of help with me! 

(The three go off together to the left, while SONG SPARROW limps 
in % and says as if in pain:) 



SONG SPARROW: 

I wonder why he did not like my song ! 

I sang my sweetest, yet he looked so black! 

And just before the final trill I felt 

A stinging in my wing and heard a crack 

[sinks to the ground and is surrounded by BL UEBIRD, ROBIN and 
WOOD THRUSH, who come hurrying in jrom left). 

BLUEBIRD: 

O, Sparrow, what has happened 
To bring you thus laid low? 

SPARROW: 

Unless it was the song I sang, 
Sweet friends, I do not know. 

ROBIN: 

But who could still a song like yours, 
Or take you for a foe! 

SPARROW: 

Sweet friends, you must remember 
Few men take time to know 
How I devour the seeds of weeds 
And let their gardens grow 
Unchoked by deadly enemies, 
And yet, you know, 'tis so ! 

WOOD THRUSH: 

We know, we know, and how we yearn 
For men thy benefits to learn. 

{They lift SPARROW and help her off the scene, and while this is 
going on SCARLET TANAGER sings from a hidden nook 
any bird-song that may be selected from the long list of such, 
obtainable at any music store). 

MASTER OF SCENES: {walking to front of stage at close of song.) 

My friends, last year alone, in this fair land 
The kindred of the sparrow you have seen 
Wounded by thoughtless man, protected us 
Against a loss from weeds which would have been 
A hundred million dollars, so you see 
It pays to shield the singers in each tree! 



KINGBIRD: (advancing boldly toward Master and bowing low:) 

You speak of sparrow's appetite 

And all the good she brings, 

Pray, let me tell of benefits 

From other friends with wings. 

In Massachusetts — just one state — 

Twenty-five million birds 

For five months every day do feast 

Upon the insect herds. 

If they but eat a hundred each 

From dawn to set of sun 

Two million and a half are felled 

Before the day is done. 

Six score of thousands insects fill 

A bushel basket, so 

Full twenty thousand bushels are 

Devoured each day! You know 

What devastation would result 

If these were left to grow ! 

MASTER: 

Indeed, I know, but sad to say 
Most people see it not that way. 
A robin steals a cherry, and 
He's rudely driven from the land 
Which, but for him and kindred birds 
Would soon be prey to insect herds! 
But here comes red- winged blackbird, see, 
How glaringly he looks at me! 

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: (enters swaggering and in a loud 

voice says:) 

In days of old 

When knights were bold 

Was none more bold than I, 

I spurned the ease 

Of shady trees 

And swept the sunny sky! 

On dragon-flies 

And winged spies 

Of every hue I fed, 

And beetles bright 

And wasps so light 

Before me vainly sped! 



And then when fields 

Were rich with yields 

Of sweet and luscious oats 

I filled my craw 

And packed my maw 

And mocked the farmers' throats! 

And yet with all my thefts, Kingbird 

I save them much, upon my word! 

CATBIRD: {calling "meoiv" as she enters} 
You save far more than those sly cats 
Who feast on birds instead of rats 
And indoors should be forced to stay 
At least three months from first of May. 
I tell you, Black, it isn't thrifty 
To let a feline eat up fifty 
Protecting birds before they're grown, 
Yet that's the record, as is known. 

BLACKBIRD: 

If I were you I wouldn't sing 

So much like such a wicked thing. 

CATBIRD: 

I do it, Black, to show them how 
Cats could behave, 'spite the meow! 

BLACKBIRD: 

You needn't talk, they say you steal 
Full many a farmer's fruity meal. 
But why should we remain to scowl 
When here comes dignified old Owl! 

( The O WL walks in sedately and Black and Cat slmk away, looking 
back over their shoulders and gliding into the bushes where 
they stoop to listen?) 

OWL: 

When great Minerva counselled me 
"'Be always wise and just" said she, 
And wise and just I try to be. 
But for my life, I cannot see 
Why men men should not be ju^t and wise 
To visitors who, from the skies 
Descend to rid them of the band 
Of de^ecrators of the land. 



BLACK AND CAT. {from behind bush) 

O how you howl 
At midnight Owl! 



OWL, (gruffly) 

Begone you highway robbers bold, 
You're thieves of grain and fruit, I'm told, 
And now a useful bird you scold ! 
Men know my worth surpasses price 
I mainly feast on rats and mice 
And thus I save the world a slice 
Of damage that would costly be. 
They may hate you, but they like me. 



BLACK: 

They may hate us, but all the same 
We don't deserve our mooted name, 
For insects many we devour 
And thus prevent them holding power 

{with this, Black and Cat withdraw, leaving by left and BLUEBIRD, 
ROBIN, WOOD THRUSH and SONG SPARROW come 
in together, gaily) 



BLUEBIRD: 

How fine it is to meet a man 
Who treats us as his friends, 
And gently binds our little hurts 
And our bruised feathers mends! 



ROBIN: 

Someday I think all men will feel 
That we are friends, and try 
To make amends for thoughtlessness 
In times that have passed by. 



THRUSH: 

Someday the state will recognize 
Our worth, and legislate 
Against all those do us harm, 
All those who bear us hate. 



SPARROW: 

In this celestial scheme of things 
We're guardians of the air 
At work from earliest peep of dawn, 
And busy everywhere. 

MASTER: {approaching from left, with wand in hand) 

Come, guardians, come, 
Day folds her wings, 
And night her peace 
And stillness brings. 

CHORUS OF BIRDS, — {forming a circle and doing a slow dance as 

they sing to the tune of Rubinstein s Melody 
in F.) 

Farewell, sweet friends, who have heard our brief plea, 

Farewell and may peace attend upon thee, 

Go forth to guard us from those who are blind, 

Lead them to hearts that are kind. 

Whene'er you see us remember our service; 

Do not forget we are working for you. 

Treat us as neighbors and nothing shall swerve us 

Always to be guardians true. 

Farewell, sweet friends, who have heard our brief plea, 

Farewell, and may peace attend upon thee, 

Go forth to guard us from those who are blind, 

Lead them to hearts that are kind. 

Note : Any dance movement or song or music desired may 
be added to this Masque. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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